Aaron Henry, an officeholder in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, shares his thoughts and recollections on the intersection of race and politics in his home state. Despite racially motivated violence, Henry is determined to use his education and political skills to advance the interest of black Mississippians, a group under assault by racist white politicians committed to reversing the gains of the civil rights movement. This interview will be useful for researchers interested in the insidious role of race in 1970s Mississippi politics.

The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on
Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove
transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts
held by the Southern Historical Collection.

Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.